Observations on the Biology of Afrotropical Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera). Part 8. Hesperiinae incertae sedis: Dracaena Feeders
Author
Cock, Matthew J. W.
Author
Congdon, T. Colin E.
Author
Collins, Steve C.
text
Zootaxa
2015
2015-07-13
3985
3
301
348
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3985.3.1
0a09b779-2166-4305-9d3e-53effb06f108
1175-5326
253532
46DE9DD6-55E3-4BF5-A2AF-A058A0294A72
Leona
Evans, 1937
We have introduced this genus in
Cock
et al
. (2014)
, where its split from
Caenides
is discussed. Of the nine species in the genus, a single species,
L. lissa
Evans
, has been reared from
Dracaena
, and is treated here. However, its male genitalia are so different from those of other larger members of the genus apart from
L. luehderi
(Plötz)
(food plant unknown), that it is probably not congeneric (T.B. Larsen pers. comm. 2014).
The early stages and food plants of relatively few species of the other
Leona
spp. are known as yet, and the records include palms (
Arecaceae
) and
Zingiberaceae
.
Leona maracanda
(Hewitson)
has been reared from a rattan palm,
Eremospatha
sp., in western
Zambia
(
Cock
et al
. 2014
).
Leona halma
Evans
is recorded from
Zingiberaceae
(
Kielland 1990
,
Heath
et al
. 2002
,
Vande weghe 2010
,
Cock
et al
. 2014
).
Heath
et al
. (2002)
suggest that the food plant of
L. leonora dux
Evans
is possibly also
Zingiberaceae
.